US2095895A - Fastening device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1 937. e. A. TINNERMAN FASTENiNG DEVICE Filed July 17, 1936 M 5 m H mm m Z (w mm wfl Patented Oct. l2, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,095,895 FASTENING DEVICE George A. Tinnerman, Rocky River, Ohio, assignor toAlbert H. Tinnerman, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 17, 1936, Serial No. 91,172 6 Claims. (01. 189-36) This invention relates to an improvement in fasteners or connectors for spaced parts, and specifically to an improvement in spring fasteners of the type employing indented sheet-metal I 5 tongues adapted to engage the threads of a bolt or screw in a manner to form in effect a self-locking" nut for preventing turning of the screw out of position.

An object is to provide an improved connecting device for spaced parts, which device includes an automatically locking spring nut engageable by a securing screw.

Another object is to provide a connector for spaced parts, by the use of which the spaced parts normally may be held-securely in operative relationship, while nevertheless some'relative movement between the connected parts is permitted, e. g.: to compensate for inaccuracy in the formation of the connected parts, or to permit slight relative motion of the connected parts for dampening sound transmission, or to prevent or' deter conductivity of heat or sound waves from one of the connected parts to the other.

A specific object is to provide a connecting fastener for inner and outer panels of door or wall constructions, whereby the. panels may be easily and quickly assembled in a definite relationship, notwithstanding variations in details of manufacture with respect to fastener openings, and which'fastener may be arranged to prevent transmission of vibrations, sound or heat waves, therethrough from one connected part to another.

Still another object lsto provide a door construction for cabinets, refrigerators and the like, having inner and outer panels which are to be maintained in spaced relationship, which construction will obviate the necessity for the usual breaker strips, will provide-a common support for fasteners, such as screws, and will effectively accommodate resilient sealing strips, when such Anotherspecific object' is to provide a springfastener-equipped mounting for objects, such as electric motors and/or power transmission mechanism for units, such as refrigerators, air-conditioning equipment, and motor-driven apparatus generally, which mounting is adapted and arranged for absorbing shock and reducing wave f transmission generally. I

o Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following descrip- 55 tion relating to the accompanying drawing. showare desired, as between the door and its frame.

ing illustrative embodiments. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

A device incorporating the invention is shown in two general forms, one comprising a fastener for spaced parts, including a body having flange effects at an angle to eac'h other and screw or bolt-receiving spring tongues on at leastone of the flange efiects, preferably both. In the other general form, the flanges, one or more of which has or have spring tongues, are parallel but in 1 different planes. The spring tongues, in case a plurality of pairs or sets are used on one device, preferably extend on opposite sides of the metal body material forming the device, but in some instances may extend inthe same direc-. 15 tion with respect to such body material.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the connecting fastenerin one specific form, the-same being made from a single piece of sheet metal; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a similar device formed in three parts; Fig.

. 3 is a sectional plan view of the device of Fig.

Fig. 2, said device being shown in central longitudinal cross-section; and Fig.5 shows the fastening connector hereof in the second-mentioned form, serving as a support for an electric motor.

Referring speci'flcallyto Fig. 1, this shows a sheet metal body at I, having a flange 2 at one end, which-is bent substantially at right angles to the body I. The opposite end of the body has a flange 3, formed byan open return bend 4, disposing the major portion of the flangeinto parallelism with the body I, but spaced from it. Both flanges 2 and 3, as shown, are provided with oppositely extending spring tongues 6, partially severed from the sheet metal of the respective flanges and out-struck from the planes thereof in the form of arches which are open at the top. a The tongues are suitably indented, as indicated. at I, the indentations being of any suitable contour as determined by the character of the belt or screw with which the fastener is to be used. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the indented extremities of the tongues may have fpitch corresponding, generally to the thread pitch of such bolt or. screw to be engaged by the tongues. It will be noted that the tongues of the two sets are outstruck from the metal stock in opposite directions.

Preferably there is an enlarged opening 8, aligned with the all of the indentations in the acter of which is determined largely by the spein the form of strips Ill and H, for supporting,

the flanges 2 and 3, said flanges and their belt or screw-receiving apertures and tongues being identical with the showing thereof in Fig. 1. For

convenience, the'body member l will be considered on the front face of the device and the member II on the back face. Connecting the two 'strips ll and II therebetween issuitable interposed yielding or insulating material l2, the charciflc use of the fastener. Preferably, the strip of material I! isrubber, the same being firmly vulcanized to both metal'strips or otherwise suitably secured. Rubber, so interposed, will absorb vibrations, as well as act to deter or prevent'the conduction of heat and sound waves from onemetal part of the fastener to the other. Thus,

spaced parts connected by the fastener are insulated from each other as to vibrations, noise and 1 heat.

Referring now to an illustrative use for the fastener, in either form above described, and specifically to Fig. 4, outer and inner panels of a -door construction are indicated respectively at l5 and Ii. The outer panel, as is usual in refrigerator door construction, is flanged inwardly contlnuously about its margin, as at H, and the margin of the inturned flange is turned at right angles,

- as shown, forming a shorter flange eifect l8, ex-

' tending normal to the planeof the door.

flange- H has a series of'openings, one being at I! engaging the tongues of the fastener flange l... Marsala functions may be substituted.

The

shown at' It, for receiving fastening members, such as bolts or screws, one screw being shown 2,. The panel I has a marginal flange, indicated 'at- 2., which is similarly apertured to receive screws 26 engaging the tongues of the flange 3. 1

In the desired assembled relationship of the two panels, the marginal flange 20 is substantially aligned with the short flange effect i8 of the panel II and spaced therefrom. Ordinarily, solid wood or composition breaker strips are used, marginally to connect the door panels for reducing heat transmission losses; One feature of the present deviceis that it displaces such breaker strips.

.It is apparent that if the panel flanges or the holes in the panel flanges which receive the are not accurately, related, the tonguesupporting flanges of the fasteners may be moved relatively by stretching or warping the rubber connection in the operation of placing the screws; but that, after the screws have been driven home, the panels will be snugly held against excessive relative movement. The panels Ii and II are insulated from each other by the mutually scouring fasteners, and only enough relative movement is'permitted to dampen sound waves, 1. e. to prevent the outer panel from being vibrated by the inner panel.

The rubber strip I! vulcanized 'to the body strips "and II, constitutes: a yielding, an insu-' lative', and a vibration dampening connection between the bolt-thread-gripping spring fasten- ,and any other means serving one or more A rubber e. grsealing strip 33 is shown at the face of the door adjacent the door frame or lamb M, the outer face of the strip being inclined complementary to the frame opening. A flange 32 lies in the edge recess 33 to form a rabbet. Usually, the sealing strip extends continuously about the perimeter of the door, and may have a dovetai "securing rib portion 32, which snaps into place between the proximate edges of the aligned which the body portions 40 and 4| corresponding to the body plates Ill and II on Fig. 2 e. g. are

vulcanized or otherwise securely fixed. The plate I40 has a flange 42 extending at right angles thereto with indented bolt or screw-thread-receiving tongues 46 to embrace the attaching bolts 41 depending from the leg portions "of the motor frame 50. The body members 4f, in the particular formof attaching fasteners shown, have flanges 49 extending at right angles therefrom as a base. The flanges may have simple holes to receive fastening screws or bolts, the heads of which are indicated at I, or the. flanges 49 may be equipped with spring tongues of. the character shown'in Figs. 2 and 3 or other suitable form.

In the last described arrangement, it will be seen that the yielding blocks Ha function to allow considerable variation in the relative positioning yieldable with respect to each other and relative to said body portion, at least one of said flanges being provided with integral means deformed from the plane thereof for receiving fastening & elements for securing said flanges to said spaced parts, whereby said connecting means may give under force through the relative yieldable flanges and in the area of said integral fastener receiving means.

2. Connecting means" for securing parts in spaced relation in a structure, comprising a body portion and flanges extending in different planes with respect to said body portion, said flanges being yieldable with respect to each other and relative to saidbody portion, at least one of said flanges being provided with integral yieldable meansdeformed to project from the plane thereof for receiving fastening elements for securing said flanges to-said spaced parts, whereby said connecting means may give under force through the relative yieldable flanges and in the area of said integral yieldable fastener receiving means to compensate for manufacturing variations and strains set up in the assembly or incident to use of the structure.

3. In a joint structure comprising panels having marginal flanges disposed at angles to each other, the combination of connecting means for securing said panels in spaced relation,

1 said connecting means comprising a body portion andflanges relatively yieldable with. respect o each other and said body portion, said flanges 35 metallic members having being formed at such angle to said body portion as to seat against the marginal flanges of said panels,and said flanges being provided with means I adapted to receive fastening elements for securing said marginal flangespf the panels to the relatively yieldable flanges of said connecting means, whereby said connecting means may give under force to compensate for manufacturing variations and strains setup in the assembly or I incident to use of the structure.

4. In a joint structure comprising spaced pan els having marginal flanges disposed at angles to each other, the combination of connecting means forsecuring said panels in spaced rela- 5 tion, said connecting means comprising a body portion and flanges relatively yieldable with respect to each other and said body portion, said flanges being formed at such angle to said body portion as to seat against the marginal flanges of 20 said panels, and said flanges being provided with integral, yieldable fastener receiving means deformed from the plane thereof and adapted to receive fastening elements for securing the marginal flanges of the panels to the relatively yield 25 able flanges of the connecting means, whereby said connecting means may give under force through the relatively yieldable flanges and in the area ,of said integral yieldable fastenerreceiving means to compensate for irregularities 30 and manufacturing variations in the panels.

5. Connecting means for securing parts in spaced relation ina structure, comprising, a body portion including "an elastic element and metallic members bonded to said elastic element, said flanges extending in difierent planes with respect to said body portion,

relatively yieldable flanges and in the area of said integral fastener receiving means to compensate for manufacturingvariations and strains set ,up

in the assembly or incident to use of the structure.

6.- In a joint structure comprising spaced panels having marginal flanges disposed at angles to each other, the combination of a connecting means for securing said panels in spaced relation, said connecting means comprising a body portion including an elastic element and metallic members bonded thereto, said metallic members having flanges relatively yieldable with respect to each other and to said body portion, said flanges being formed at such angle to said body portion as to seat against the marginal flanges of said panels, and said flanges being provided with integral, yieldable fastener receiving means deformed from the plane thereof andadapted to receive fastening elements for securing said marginal flanges of the panels to the relatively yieldable flanges of the connecting means. whereby said 3 connecting means may give under force through the elastic element, the relatively yieldable flanges, and in the area of said integral'yieldable fastener receiving means to compensate for manufacturing variations and strains set up in the assembly or incident to use of the structure.

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